- Team form: Ross County are unbeaten in their last 5 games, winning the last 5.
- Opposition form: Montrose are in mixed-to-poor shape, losing their last 2 matches.
- Comparative play: Montrose are disciplined, but Ross County have been more fluid in possession and more tenacious without the ball.
Staggies are the sharper of the two sides
Ross County attacking update
Ross County should get the better of Montrose at Global Energy Stadium on Saturday, but Stewart Petrie's disciplined men are sure to make a game of it. The Staggies are the clear favorites at 1.33 for this one, with Montrose 8.5 and the draw 5.0, but those prices reflect their respective positions in the standings after one game of the new League One campaign.
- Stuart Kettlewell's rebuild at Ross County is still a work in progress, but his side have been sharper in the attacking third in recent games and have added a little bit of pace to their wide areas.
- Brian Graham is the club's main man with 1 goal in 1 League One appearance and 4 of the club's 8 in their last 5 overall, while Adam Emslie provides the creativity and has registered 1 assist in 1 League One game so far.
- Kettlewell's men are in good form, having won 5 of their last 5 in all competitions, with today's 0-1 away win at Peterhead following on from a 0-3 success at Airdrieonians in League Cup Group D on Tuesday.
Montrose resilience and system
Montrose were on a good run, but the past couple of games have been an ugly slip, starting with a 0-2 home defeat to Spartans in League Cup Group B, followed by a 0-5 mauling by Hamilton Academical in League One. Petrie has built the 10th-placed League One side into a team that have been very difficult to beat over the past few years and his 4-4-2 system is based around being compact, organised and low risk in their own third, before hitting the Staggies on the fast break.
Ross County to edge a cagey affair
The most likely outcome of this fixture is a home win, but the best bet on Ross County looks to be 'Ross County to win to nil' because if the hosts can press Montrose back and keep the visitors in their own half early on, Petrie's men will be forced out of their comfort zone.
A win for Ross County is the best correct score bet in this spot as the home team will be looking to dominate the game as they have the players to do it. Montrose could nick a goal at some point in the match, but that looks unlikely, as Ewan Loudon has been their biggest threat of late with 3 of their 5 goals in the last 5 games scored by the prolific striker.
Both teams to score is available at 1.95, with no at 1.75 and over 2.5 goals at 1.62, but this is likely to be a tense affair until one of the teams cracks and that could take some time if Petrie can keep his men compact and disciplined.
